Don't hate the player, hate his tennis style II
by Puri.Tensai
Summary: Platinum Pair-Version. Niou and Yagyuu work perfectly together as a doubles pair, but... If you're too close to someone, you can't help but getting attached to him... This story goes paralell with the Kinky Pair-Version which has the same title.
1. Distance

_Hey, guys!_

_This NiouxYagyuu fanfic goes paralell with the Kinky Pair-Version which has the same title._

_You should read the other version first, but there's no problem if you don't._

_I hope you will like it :)_

* * *

**DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE HIS TENNIS STYLE (Platinum Pair)**

_Chapter 1 - __**Distance**_

"Bucho, can you tell me again _why _I have to be paired up with him??"

"Look, Yagyuu… This is the third time Akaya has asked." I smirked and rested my elbow on his shoulder. "Poor guy… Puri."

Yagyuu watched them, but didn't say a word.

"My, my... Don't you like Yanagi? He's a nice guy, you know?" Yukimura said to Kirihara with a smile.

"Bucho called Yanagi nice. I wonder why he has never called me that…"

"That's because you're nothing close to the word 'nice', Niou…" I sent him an irritated glance. Was he insulting me…?

Yagyuu pushed up his glasses. "But… I guess I like you that way…"

"That's cute of you, Hiro-kun," I hugged him from the back.

"You're heavy, Niou…"

"Just a little longer," I grinned.

"…"

Yagyuu was always like that. I knew he liked when I clung to him, but he always denied it.

"It's not about that! I'm just asking WHY on earth I have to be paired up with him. Why exactly HIM?!" Akaya yelled.

"I feel sorry for Yanagi…" Yagyuu mumbled. "To hear Akaya saying those things must have hurt him."

"Oh?"

"We all know how long he has had his eyes on Kirihara…"

"Since the first time they met, wasn't it…?"

"Yeah. He said that Kirihara could give him some interesting data. Still, I doubt that's the only reason…"

"But how can someone as calm as him like a scary person as Akaya, anyway?"

"…" Yagyuu looked at me.

"What??"

"_They _are not the only ones who're like that…"

"What are you talking about?"

Yagyuu blushed lightly.

"Aah~ You were talking about us, right??" I laughed and poked at him. "So the calm Yagyuu _does _like a scary trickster like me…"

"O-Only as a doubles partner…" He looked away and pushed up his glasses.

"I see~"

"D-Don't look at me like that…"

"Heh heh heh~"

"…"

"But I don't want to be paired up with him!" We heard Akaya continue.

"Right now, I don't want to be with you either," Yanagi mumbled while writing in his notebook as he always did.

"Don't come with those kinds of unnecessary comments! If you don't like me, don't tell me about it!"

"Man, they sure are loud… Puri."

"And you're heavy…"

"…And you are cute…"

"…"

"I got you, didn't I?" I laughed and gave him a light kiss in the cheek.

"Niou! Don't do stuffs like that!" His face was red.

"Heh heh heh… Puri." I loved to tease him… "You know, I'm happy we get along…"

"We're called the 'Platinum Pair', it would have been unacceptable if we didn't get along…"

"True, true… You are always so logical. Puri."

"Why do you guys always have to be against me?!?! Why can't even one single of you be on _my _side and understand _my_ side of the story for a change?!?!" Oh shit, Akaya has lost it…

"I didn't know you felt that way," Yukimura began. "If you feel that we don't understand you, why not talk with us about it?"

"I don't care anymore! I'm leaving for today..."

"Wait Kirihara," Marui spitted out his gum and put a hand on Akaya's shoulder.

Akaya pushed his hand away and left with the words "I hate you all..."

"And here I was, spitting out my gum to try to talk seriously with you!" Marui shouted after him.

"He has already left, there's no point in shouting, Marui…" Jackal said.

"I know, but… We _are _a team, aren't we? I just wanted to help…"

"You are such a kind person…"

"Yanagi…" Yukimura didn't sound happy…

"Yanagi." Renji was too concentrated on his notebook to notice his captain.

"Yanagi!!"

"Eh? H-hai??"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making the training schedule for Kirihara," he answered.

"What's the point to make a schedule when you don't even get along with your partner?! He's feeling lonely!"

"Is he… Feeling lonely…?"

"Didn't you hear what he said before he left?!"

Yanagi looked confused, like he didn't understand what the captain was talking about.

"Renji! Kirihara Akaya is _your _partner, which means that you have the responsibility to take care of him!"

"Yukimura-bucho, I-"

Sanada stepped in front of Seiichi and slapped Renji.

"Ouch…. _THAT's _gotta hurt! Sanada-fuku bucho really knows how to slap!"

It just slipped out of me.

"Hush, Niou… You shouldn't provoke him…" Yagyuu whispered to me.

The vice captain stared angrily at me, but then turned to Yanagi.

"Renji! This is a shame for Rikkai!!! APOLOGIZE TO YUKI-"

"Sanada…"

"Yukimura?"

"It's okay… He knows his faults…"

"I'm… I'm sorry, Yukimura-bucho…" Yanagi looked depressed.

"As long as you understand… Now… Everyone, we'll call it a day. The training is over… Dismissed!" Yukimura turned around and walked away with Sanada right behind him.

"Yanagi… Are you okay…?" Yagyuu asked.

"…hn." Yanagi said and left.

"What kind of answer is _that_??" Marui wondered, but no one gave him an answer.

"The mood is kind of chilly…" I said. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Heading home," Yagyuu answered coldly.

"That's boring, Hiro…" I clutched his arm.

"N-Niou… Don't…"

"Let's go on a double-date together!" Marui suggested. "Ne, Jackal??"

"Uhh…"

"I'm heading home…" Yagyuu collected his things and started walking.

"Yagyuu!" I ran after him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I just don't like that Marui's making fun of dates and love… We all are just doubles partners, nothing more…"

"Why are you always like that? The boy was just kidding… You shouldn't take it seriously…" Even saying that, my thoughts are something else…

"I guess you're right…" Yagyuu smiled and slowed down so I could walk beside him.

"Puri." Even acting like I don't care, I actually do…

"N-Niou… Don't hold my hand while we're in town, it's embarrassing."

"It's okay, isn't it? Just for a little."

"I-I guess…"

"Hehe… Puri." Even acting like normal, my heart beats faster…

You're so close, yet I can't reach you…

Are we going to stay this far from each other forever…?

_-End of Chapter 1-_

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	2. No one sees

**DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE HIS TENNIS STYLE (Platinum Pair)**

_Chapter 2 __– __**No one sees**_

I spent the night at Yagyuu's house on a mattress – On the floor, while Yagyuu lied in his bed.

Even that the mattress was soft and I lied comfortable, I couldn't sleep.

"Yagyuu… Are you asleep…?"

"Yes…"

"…"

He turned around and faced me. "Just kidding…" A light smile could be seen on his face. Sometimes, he could really be something else than the calm and serious guy the others knew. "So, what is it?"

"Nothing… I just wanted to know if you slept."

"I see…"

We looked at each other… Just looked at each other… Without saying anything…

-

"You have such beautiful eyes, Yagyuu…" I said after awhile.

"What on earth are you talking about…?"

"You should wear lenses and let people see your eyes… Puri."

"Stop talking nonsense…" Even saying that, he seemed happy.

"I'm not… And by the way, what kind of people do you like?" I really wanted to know…

"What do you mean?"

"What kind of person do you prefer? As a lover, that is…"

"I prefer pure-hearted girls…"

It stung in me… I was neither pure-hearted, nor a girl…

"What about you, Niou?" Yagyuu continued, without knowing what he just said had hurt me.

I didn't want to lie to him, but I didn't want him to know about my feelings yet, either…

"I like intelligent people…" Of course, since I was talking about Yagyuu, I had to use the word 'people' and not 'girls', because he was a boy…

"So, have you found anyone who fits to that description?" Another difficult question…

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Oh… Then why haven't you told me? We are friends, right?"

"Because I don't know if _that person _likes me…"

"Have you asked her out?"

"No, not yet…"

"Then you should, I will support you."

"Yagyuu…" I was a trickster, but not with Yagyuu… He's the only one I would never trick… Never…

-

"Niou, is it cold sleeping on the floor?" Yagyuu asked.

"No, I'm fine… Why?"

"I just wondered, because even lying in the bed, I'm cold…"

Before I realized anything, I had crawled into his bed and lied beside him.

"Niou…?!" Yagyuu seemed to be very surprised. He became even more surprised when I hugged him as we laid there.

And what Yagyuu said _was_ true… His body was very cold… As if he was a dead corpse…

"Now, it won't be cold anymore…" Yagyuu's scent… I've always liked it…

Warmth started to come back to his body, and he was not a dead corpse anymore, but alive.

"Niou… It's not normal to do this…" Yagyuu tried to move away, but I didn't let him.

"As long as no one else sees, it's okay… Right…?"

"As long as no one sees…" Hiroshi mumbled as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

The others have seen me hang on Yagyuu, but they wouldn't ever have thought of it as love, because I don't look like the kind of person who can be gay – And I'm not…

The one I fell in love with just happened to be a boy… Not any boy, but Yagyuu Hiroshi…

Why was our relationship always like this…? As long as no one sees, it's okay… But what will happen when they do…?

-

"How can I not be in bad mood? Kirihara made me spit my favorite gum!" Marui shouted.

"But that happened yesterday, forgive him already," I laughed and started poking him. Was it all about gum? Like, _gum _you chewed?! He could be angry at the funniest things…

"Don't touch me!"

"Hehe... Puri."

"Stop teasing him." Jackal came to the rescue. It's not fun when someone tries to stop you from teasing others, but right now, I didn't really care…

"Sure, since I have Hiro!" I ran and towards Yagyuu and hugged him.

He lost his balance and we both fell.

"Niou..." Yagyuu sighed and pushed his glasses back in place.

"Puri." I kissed his cheek.

"Niou!"

"There's no problem, is it…? We even slept in the same bed…" I whispered playfully to him.

"That was because no one saw… Don't be so close in public…"

"Aah~ So I can do whatever I want to you as long as no one sees?"

"N-no!"

"Just kidding, Yagyuu… Puri."

-

"We beat Jackal and Marui today… Again!" I was proud that we were invincible.

I walked beside my partner, on our way home, and tried to imitate the way he walked.

"Don't be happy yet… We don't know how the Renji and Akaya-pair will turn out…" The always-so-careful Yagyuu said.

"No need to worry, Hiro. Renji may be scary at times, but look; he's with Akaya…"

"Akaya in red-eyed mode is scary too…"

"It's okay. As long as you stay with me, I'll protect you…" I grinned.

"Tch…"

His reactions always made me wonder what he was thinking…

"By the way… Thank you for yesterday… Because of you, I got my warmth back and could sleep." Yagyuu mumbled.

I put my arm around his shoulder. "Want to do that tonight, too?"

"Niou…" He gave me an oh-my-goodness-please-stop-that look

"Just kidding, just kidding! Puri." I smiled my usual smile.

"Ne, Niou-kun…"

"Hm?"

"Want to sleep at my house tonight?"

"Aaaaaah~"

"Don't look at me like that… It's creepy… But what is the answer?"

"Yes." Of course it's yes… Yagyuu, you should only have known how much I want to spend my time with you…

"Hn."

-

It ended up with us sleeping in the same bed again…

But this time, it wasn't because of him being cold…

I crawled on his bed without a reason – And since he didn't protest, I stayed there…

Even though our relationship was just like this, I wanted to keep it…

As long as no one sees, we'll be safe…

As long as no one sees…

_-End of Chapter 2-_


	3. Too Close

_Here we go... xD_

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_To **LaVenDar**: Thanks for your reviews ^^ I understand, and will try to not make them hurt much... Thank you for bearing it for this story's sake... :)_

_To **HK-kun**: Thanks for liking it, I'm happy that you like Platinum pair too! :D_

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**DON'T HATE THE PLAYER, HATE HIS TENNIS STYLE (Platinum Pair)**

_Chapter 3 – Too Close_

"Niou-kun… Niou-kun… Wake up…" Yagyuu said to me while tying his tie. "We'll be late for school…"

"5 more minutes…"

"We don't have 5 minutes, Niou-kun… You have to hurry up…"

"Then help me," I reached out my right hand for him to drag me up.

"It can't be helped, then…" Yagyuu was going to help, but I grabbed his wrist and dragged him down on the bed again.

Hiroshi fell and lied on top of me.

"Niou?!" Now, he tried to stand up again.

"Yagyuu, let's… Skip school…"

"What…?"

"I'm not in the mood to have class… Can't you just stay here with me? You already have top grades… Skipping a little won't hurt…"

"Um… If you say so, then… But lying like this is kind of wrong…"

"Why?" Please don't reject me… Don't… Reject me…

"Well, we both are boys, and you already have a girl you love. In my opinion, this is too close, even if we are doubles partners…"

"Don't worry about that…"

"How can I not worr-" Yagyuu was interrupted in the middle of his sentence, because I pulled his tie and kissed him.

Yeah, I knew I shouldn't have, but it happened… And this time, it wasn't just a light kiss on the cheek…

Yagyuu ended it, by moving away. "What was that for…?" He asked. "I know you are a trickster, but this has gone too far…"

As expected of a gentleman… Even in this kind of situation, he was sitting there, being so calm…

"It's okay, isn't it…? As long as no one sees…"

"It won't always okay, Niou…" Yagyuu stood up and went towards the door. "I'm going to make breakfast… Just get ready, okay…?"

"It won't always be okay… Maybe that's true, but…" When hearing that I had something to say, he stopped.

"Don't leave me, Yagyuu…"

I need you… I need you…

"Niou-kun…?" He turned around and looked at me.

"I don't want to be alone anymore… Anything _but _that… Please don't leave me…"

He stood on the same spot for some time, but then came and sat beside me, on the bed. "…I won't…"

"Yagyuu…" I looked up at him and he looked kindly at me.

"Why would I…? We are the platinum pair…"

"Thank you…"

He sat there beside me, without realizing that his class would soon begin.

"Ne, what would you say if I told you I was gay?" I suddenly asked.

"?!" Yagyuu seemed shocked and almost fell backwards.

"…Are you going to leave me now…?"

"No, I won't…" He answered calmly and pushed his glasses.

"That's good to hear…" I knew that gay people disgusted him… But even if I was one of them, Hiroshi wouldn't leave me…

"But… Are you serious?" He seemed surprised.

"About what?"

"That you are… Ahem… Yeah…?"

"No!"

"I see…" Yagyuu replied, and we both laughed.

-

We skipped class, but not our training.

It was fun to play tennis and hang out with our team members.

"You failed at the English test." Sanada didn't sound happy as he talked to Akaya.

"So what?" Kirihara was rude as always… "Listen, I don't really care about that subject at all! Besides, how is English related to tennis anyway? It's like saying that bucho is good at tennis because he likes English…"

Sanada grasped his shirt collar. "Don't you dare talking back at me like that! And don't you dare mentioning Yukimura's name in these circumstances!!!" he yelled and lifted up his fist.

"This is not good… I'll-" I wanted to stop him, but Yagyuu held me back.

"Let them be, Niou… Sanada is the vice-captain, we shouldn't mess with him…"

"Akaya is in trouble! Like hell if I care about Sanada being the vice-"

"Genichiroh… Let go…" Yanagi sounded calm as always.

"What did you say?!" Sanada said coldly.

"I said, let go…!"

Everyone gasped. Yanagi had never talked like that to Sanada before.

"Renji… Tell me, what is the meaning of this…?"

"Akaya is _my _doubles partner, that's why I'm the one who're going to deal with him," Yanagi said, with his eyes open. "Now, let go of him."

Sanada looked at Yukimura. He nodded, and Sanada let go of Akaya's collar.

"Are you alright?" Yanagi asked and fixed his shirt.

"Y… Y… Yanagi-sempai!!!" Kirihara threw himself at him.

Yanagi seemed a bit surprise at first, but then, he put his arms around him and smiled.

"You're such a good boy…"

"See? Akaya is not alone anymore…" Yagyuu looked at me. "I know that you hate when Sanada wants to hurt the members, but… They are doing just fine even without us."

I don't care if Sanada hurts the other members, but I do when it's about that little devil… I have always been the one talking against the vice captain to help him out of trouble…

"I know, but I'm still worried about Akaya…"

"Yanagi is very knowledgeable and protective, so there's no need to worry…"

What's with those comments about Renji?!

Anyway, Kirihara was just someone I could trick and tease, but still… Now that he had Yanagi, and didn't need me anymore… Of course you would feel a little jealous… I glanced at Akaya.

"Niou…"

I wonder if Akaya likes Yanagi…

"Niou…"

They seem to be a happy couple… I wish I could be happy like that…

"Niou-kun!"

"Hai? Did you say something, Yagyuu?"

"…"

"What?"

"…Never mind…" Yagyuu turned around and walked away.

"Wait, where are you going? Hey, Hiro!"

"Drinking water…"

I love Yagyuu… I really do… But… There's still emptiness between us…

I've always wondered about how he feels about me… I want to know… Because… If he doesn't like me… Then I have to try to move on as soon as possible…

I'm afraid… I'm afraid I won't be able to forget him…

-

Yagyuu came back and was very wet, which was unusual for him.

Water drops dripped down from his hair.

"You said you were going to _drink _water, not _take a bath_, puri." I laughed.

"I just felt for it…" He looked depressed… Before he came back… Did he just… Cry…?

"At least, you should use a towel to dry yourself…" I threw a towel to him, but he didn't even move…

"Yagyuu, can't you even catch something like that?" I went and took up the towel. "Here." I reached it to him, but he didn't take it.

"Don't tell me that you can't even dry yourself? Then let me do it…" I started rubbing the towel gently on his hair.

"Yanagi is such a loving person… He would make a perfect boyfriend, don't you think?" Yagyuu suddenly said, looking at Renji, who sat under a tree.

_What_ did Hiroshi just say about him?! The towel slipped out of my hand and fell on the ground.

"Niou-kun, this isn't how you're supposed to help someone dry himself…" Yagyuu smiled a tired smile, and took up the towel from the ground. "Ah… It has become dirty…" He said and went to wash it.

I was stunned over what he had said… Could it be… That Hiro… _Liked_ Yanagi…?

-

I was sitting by Yagyuu, in his room, and we did our homework together.

"Ne, Hiro… By any chance, do you like Yanagi?"

"What makes you think that…?" Yagyuu kept looking down on his book.

Right now, he kind of reminded me of Rikkai's data-man, who usually looked down on his notebook, even while talking to others…

"You give him positive compliments, and always ask him if he's okay… Seems like you really care for him…"

"Can't I?"

No, you can't! Uh…

I knew that Yagyuu always admired Yanagi… Their personality are alike too; both are calm and intelligent… Maybe _they _would fit better as a doubles pair…?

"So you _do _have feelings for him? Puri."

Now, he looked up from his textbook. "For your information, I'm _not _gay!"

"Oh…?"

I pushed him lying down on the floor and licked his neck.

"Niou-kun?!"

"How do you like this…? Puri."

"Stop! Niou! Stop it!"

Before he could continue, I started kissing him and sticking my hand under his shirt, touching him. After a lot of struggling, he pushed me away.

"Niou, from now on, don't do those stuffs to me… Like kissing, hugging and… Such… It's weird…!" Yagyuu tried to act calm, but his voice trembled, and I could see in his eyes that he was terrified.

Hiro was the kind of person who didn't want people to come too close, and seeing him reacting like that, made me regret what I did…

"If it really bothers you, then I won't do it anymore…" Of course it bothered him… I'm so stupid… Why did I get carried away like that…? Hiro is never going to forgive me!

"That doesn't matter, but it's not right to do this… You already have a girl you like…"

"You don't have to think about that…" What's the big deal with this 'girl'…? She doesn't even exist…

"Don't play with my feelings!" Hiroshi startled me.

"Y-Yagyuu…?"

"I'm not an idiot, Niou… I know we aren't supposed to do this... Boys aren't supposed to be _this _close, even if they're doubles partners."

Tears fell down his cheeks. "You like someone else, but continue to stay close to me and do these kinds of things… Making me feel so nervous… Making me lose my cool like this… Making me… Feel so unsure about everything… My life… My future… My… Feelings… Stop messing around with me! I can't take it anymore!"

The calm and collected gentleman had finally showed his weak side…

"Hiroshi…" I didn't know he felt that way… Yagyuu thought I just had fun teasing him… That must have been awfully painful for him…

I took off his glasses and used my thumb to wipe away his tears. "I'm not messing around with you…" I hugged him. "Why would I…? Look, I'm sorry that I started doing those weird things to you… I don't know why, I just… I… I don't really know… But the truth is that you are the only one I could never lie to, trick or hate… Because you're the one I love…"

"Niou-kun… Is that… True…?"

I nodded. "I know you are disgusted by people who like the same gender, but… Just so you know… I don't like boys… The one I fell in love with just happened to be a boy – You."

"I guess I accept it, since it's Niou-kun…" He held his arms around me.

"Then, I'll get this straight… Yagyuu Hiroshi, I love you…"

"Niou Masaharu… I love you too…"

We smiled. It felt like a heavy weight over us had been removed, and we were finally free…

"I won't allow you to like any other person than me… Got it? Puri." I said in a playfully tone.

"The same goes for you…" He smirked.

Slowly, I moved in for a kiss… This time, he closed his eyes and didn't protest…

_-End of Chapter 3-_

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